Currently have a 2019 Fiesta Active 1, 3 cylinder petrol engine. Thinking of swapping to focus, possibly diesel. Would a 4 cylinder diesel be at same or lesser risk of becoming a ecoboom as common as the 3 pot engines we hear horror stories of or should i look to another brand?

Not EV's or hybrids.

 

2.0 diesel has wetbelt so good chance of that breaking at some point.

1.5 diesel has dry belt.  Seems to be a generally reliable engine, although they have the odd fuel leak or tank fuel pump failure.

EcoBlue engines will need an adblue top up every 5000 miles or so.

Hi auldreekie. Going from a Fiesta to a Focus is a good step. The diesels are quite reliable. The 4 pot ecoboosts are reliable if they're looked after. There are horror stories of the 1.5/1.6 ecoboost engine seizing because of coolant leaks and even coolant leaking into the combustion Chambers.

Just make sure any car you go for has a good service history. 

I recently bought a high mileage 1.5 ecoboost and cheap. Yes I've spent 1.5k on it but that includes 4 brand new premium tyres. Coolant drain and new put in. Brake fluid change. Wheel alignment. Mats as it didn't have any. I'm gettingvthe timing belt and aux belt and water pump changed soon. I'm changing an O2 sensor too. But I've got one helluva good car. Averaging 40mpg. And it runs smooth.

Maybe I should have mentioned I'm looking at 1.5 diesel focus 2018 onwards, I believe they were fitted with timing chain after 2018.

Ecoblue I don't mind topping up when needed. I would be looking for FSH by ford dealer as my fiesta had the same from when I bought it new, its only done 8.600mls.

3 minutes ago, auldreekie said:

Maybe I should have mentioned I'm looking at 1.5 diesel focus 2018 onwards, I believe they were fitted with timing chain after 2018.

No, that's not correct I'm afraid.  1.5 EcoBlue is still a dry belt.  Replacement interval of 10 years or 120k miles.

The 1.0 EcoBoost & 1.5 EcoBoost petrols were fitted with a chain.  (But still use a wetbelt for the oil pump).

Ah! So petrol such as 1.5T fitted with chain but 4 cylinder engine.

I assume oil pump belt is still a risk and replacement around 10 yrs or 120k?

Oh what happened to the days you could open the bonnet and put a large screwdriver on engine block and listen to the internals. Bend a cover and see state of timing belts. 😁

29 minutes ago, auldreekie said:

Ah! So petrol such as 1.5T fitted with chain but 4 cylinder engine.

Not quite...  

The 1.5t petrol was a 4 cylinder with a dry belt in the Mk3 Focus up to 2018. 

Then it was totally redesigned as a 3 cylinder engine with a cam-chain from 2018 onwards (release of Mk4 Focus).

 

29 minutes ago, auldreekie said:

I assume oil pump belt is still a risk and replacement around 10 yrs or 120k?

Yes, the oil pump wetbelt on 1.0/1.5 EcoBoost petrol's has a recommended interval of 10 years or 150k miles.

 

I agree it is all a bit over-complicated nowadays! 🤔

Sorry for being a bit ignorant on these matters but spending a lot of money on something I like to be sure.

So timing chain chain on 3 pot 1.5 focus at least gives you a warning rattle when it's getting worn and not as likely to snap as rubber/wetbelt?

 

1 minute ago, auldreekie said:

Sorry for being a bit ignorant on these matters but spending a lot of money on something I like to be sure.

So timing chain chain on 3 pot 1.5 focus at least gives you a warning rattle when it's getting worn and not as likely to snap as rubber/wetbelt?

It's not a problem, that's what the forum is for.  

So far, I haven't seen or read about any chain faults on either the 1.0 or 1.5 EcoBoost engines.  I would expect the chain to last the lifetime of the engine.

I have read about one or two oil pump wetbelt failures on the cam-chain 1.0 engine, but even that is still very rare at the moment.  Bear in mind these have been out for 5 years now.  There were many failed cambelts on the earlier engine by that age. 

Obviously the oil pump is crucial to keep the pressure up around the engine bearings, so if the belt does snap then the engine needs to be shut off immediately to prevent internal damage.  However, that should still be repairable, unlike a cambelt failure where pistons hit valves and effectively scrap the engine.

Sorry to barge in auldreekie. Tom. As you know I have the 4 pot 1.5 ecoboost. All I know is it has a cam belt and an auxiliary belt which drives the water pump. Does the auxiliary belt run the oil pump or is the oil pump gear driven. Or does my car have 3 belts?

1 hour ago, tazzman600 said:

Sorry to barge in auldreekie. Tom. As you know I have the 4 pot 1.5 ecoboost. All I know is it has a cam belt and an auxiliary belt which drives the water pump. Does the auxiliary belt run the oil pump or is the oil pump gear driven. Or does my car have 3 belts?

The oil pump on the 4 pot is driven directly from the crankshaft using a square hole.  Doesn't need a belt or chain.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/393457864723?

Thanks Tom. I looked it up and gulped at its cost. Uckinell £450 is shocking. But it looks quite bullet proof and my thought is so longs as oil changes are done (in my case yearly at about 4k miles) regularly then it should last 000'k miles and the life ofvthe car.  Oh and its the same pump as in the 1.5 diesel don't ya know.